Follow That Bird
released in 2009 presents the film in its original 1.85:1 widescreen aspect ratio.]] very brief appearance. Seen with an unnamed yellow monster, Roosevelt Franklin and Prairie Dawn.]] .]] Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird is the first feature-length film to star characters from Sesame Street. Synopsis The plot involves an organization of birds called the Feathered Friends sending Big Bird to Oceanview, Illinois, to live with a bird family called the Dodos. However, after deciding that he isn't happy with them, he heads back to Sesame Street, not realizing that it will take more than just three hours to get back home. Big Bird's road trip makes the news, and his friends on Sesame Street team together to find him. Bert and Ernie take a plane, Olivia, Linda, Telly and a Honker drive with Gordan in his car, Maria drives with Oscar in his car, The Count drives his vehicle and Super Grover takes to the skies. Bob and Luis stay at home base at Sesame Street. Also seeking him are Miss Finch, the social worker from Feathered Friends who sent him to live with the Dodos, and the Sleaze Brothers, owners of a carnival who want him as their main attraction. After escaping the Dodos, hitching a ride with a friendly turkey trucker driver and spending the day two nice farm children, he is tricked by the Sleaze Brothers into a cage attached to their vehicle. They paint him blue to avoid detection and bill him as the Bluebird of Hapiness. Some children see the sad Big Bird perform and contact Sesame Street with news of his blue appearance. The Sesame Street Road crew connects at a gas station where they hear news from Bob about the Sleaze Brothers and Olivia recalls driving by the carnival. They find Big Bird and Linda steals the keys from the sleeping Sleaze Brothers. Just as they unlock the cafe, Sam & Sid Sleaze get in their car and drive off with Big Bird. Gordon has Olivia drive up to the back of the cage and convinces Big Bird to jump out of the moving vehicle. Soon, a local cop arrests the Sleaze Brothers and Big Bird is able to return back to Sesame Street. While Miss Finch tries to set Big Bird up with a new bird family, Big Bird, with help from a speech by Maria, decides to stay at his home in Sesame Street. Big Bird goes to his best where his loyal best friend Snuffy has been waiting for him to return. Notes * The street set used in this movie is a rebuilt version of the show set, made to look more realistic. The expanded street includes a bakery, a grocery store, a fire station, an auto body shop, and a bookstore. * The Dodo family's home address is 35 Canary Row, Oceanview, Illinois. * The movie was filmed on location in Ontario, Canada, and at Toronto International Studios. Thus, in addition to the regular Sesame Street puppeteers, many of the performers from Fraggle Rock were used for the film. * The movie was also filmed shortly after production wrapped on Sesame Street’s 15th season. It is noted as Martin P. Robinson's first performance as Telly Monster (following the departure of Brian Muehl), who would continue to perform him from season 16 onwards. * In addition to its own storybook adaptation, this movie inspired five storybooks, Big Bird's Day on the Farm, Big Bird Visits the Dodos, Big Bird Joins the Carnival, Count All the Way to Sesame Street and Welcome Home, Big Bird which takes place after the movie. * The aircraft that Big Bird flies on from Sesame Street to Oceanview, Illinois is a Fokker F27 Friendship. *A widescreen DVD presented in the film's original 1.85:1 screen-aspect ratio was available for the first time in 2009, when a 25th-anniversary Deluxe Edition DVD of the film was released. Previously, all region-1 copies of the film were presented full screen 1.33:1. *Just before Big Bird's entrance roller-skating down the street you can see him through the Fix-It Shop window waiting for his cue for just a moment or two before he skates home. *The turkey-truck driver's license plate reads "GOBBLE." *The scene with Big Bird running from Ernie and Bert's approaching plane is a spoof on a visually very similar scene from the Alfred Hitchcock film North by Northwest, in which Cary Grant's character hides in a cornfield after a crop duster attack. The following pesticide cloud, in this version, is exchanged with Bert's falling bottlecap collection. Songs * Grouch Anthem * Ain't No Road Too Long * One Little Star * Easy Goin' Day * Upside Down World * I'm So Blue Cast *''Muppet Performers'' :Caroll Spinney, Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Richard Hunt, Kathryn Mullen, Jerry Nelson, Martin P. Robinson, Bryant Young, Fred "Garbo" Garver, Cheryl Wagner, Patricia Leeper, Gordon Robertson, Jeff Weiser, Shari Weiser, Tim Gosley, Noel MacNeal, Robert Stutt, Lee Armstrong, Nikki Tilroe, Robert Mills, John Pattison, Frank Meschkuleit, Terry Angus, Matthew Pidgeon, Stephen Brathwaite, Tom Vandenberg, Francine Anderson, Ron Wagner, Martine Carrier, Karen Valleau, Michelle Frey, Gus Harsfai, Patricia Lewis, Charlotte Levinson, Carolanne MacLean, Peter McCowatt, Brian Moffatt, Myra Fried, Jani Lauzon, Sandra Shamas, Kevin Clash, Pam Arciero *''Sesame Street Cast'' :Linda Bove as Linda :Emilio Delgado as Luis :Loretta Long as Susan :Sonia Manzano as Maria :Bob McGrath as Bob :Roscoe Orman as Gordon :Alaina Reed as Olivia :Kermit Love as Willy *''Human Cast'' :Dave Thomas as Sam Sleaze :Joe Flaherty as Sid Sleaze :Alyson Court as Ruthie :Benjamin Barrett as Floyd :Richard Campbell as Boy with apple :Liston Bates as Rescue Boy :Tawny Richard as Rescue Girl :Adrian McCalla as Kid at map :Tanya Marie Cook as Tanya :Shawna Stoll as Airline Announcer *''Voice Actors'' :Sally Kellerman as Miss Finch :Laraine Newman as Mommy Dodo :Brian Hohlfeld as Daddy Dodo :Cathy Silvers as Marie Dodo :Eddie Deezen as Donny Dodo *''Cameo Guest Stars'' :Paul Bartel as Grouch Cook :Sandra Bernhard as Grouch Waitress :John Candy as State Trooper Nelson :Chevy Chase as Newscaster :Waylon Jennings as Truck Driver Muppet cast *''Muppet Characters'' :Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Ernie, Bert, Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster, Grover, Count von Count, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Telly Monster, Miss Finch, Mommy Dodo, Daddy Dodo, Donny Dodo, Marie Dodo, Madame Chairbird *''Background Characters'' :Grundgetta, Osvaldo, el Gruñón, Grouches, Bruno the Trashman, Barkley, Herry Monster, Gladys the Cow, Elmo, Two Headed Monster, Sherlock Hemlock, The Amazing Mumford, Biff, Sully, Buster the Horse, Forgetful Jones, Simon Soundman, Dr. Nobel Price, Poco Loco, Maurice Monster, Bruce Monster, Prairie Dawn, Roosevelt Franklin, Ferlinghetti Donizetti, Mr. Honker, Old McDougal, Honkers, Slimey, Anything Muppets, Sesame Street Monsters, Board of Birds, Preposterous Additional credits *Producer: Tony Garnett *Executive Producer: Joan Ganz Cooney *Associate Producers: Pat Churchill, Martin G. Baker *"Sesame Street" Muppet Consultant: Kermit Love *New Character Design: Michael K. Frith Gallery Follow That Bird BB Snuffy park.jpg Follow That Bird Finch field.jpg Follow That Bird road.jpg Follow That Bird parade.jpg Follow That Bird plane.jpg Follow That Bird BB Mommy Dodo.jpg Follow That Bird Dodos Newsbeak.jpg Follow That Bird Oscar car.jpg Follow That Bird Reporter Kermit.jpg Follow That Bird Ernie Bert pilots.jpg Follow That Bird John Candy.jpg Follow That Bird Susan Maria Telly.jpg Follow That Bird Count Sherlock Price.jpg See also *''Follow That Bird'' (soundtrack) *''Follow That Bird'' (video) *''Follow That Bird'' Wendy's Kids Meal External links *IMDb *DVD review at DVDizzy.com *Interview with director Ken Kwapis at babble.com Category:Follow That Bird Follow That Bird